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| Plot Summary of Fault Line |
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"
St. Martin's, Jan 2001, 23.95, 304 pp.
ISBN: 0312253508
Everyone expects earthquakes to hit the California coastline, but no one was ready for the 5.2 quake to hit Salt Lake City just weeks before the Olympic Games commence. The Utah State geologist Dr. Sidney Smeeth provides an interview that warns of damage to key structures, but the local TV stations without explanation cut off her talk.
Not long afterward, Sidney is found dead apparently a victim of a fall from the patio of her home. Though a local police matter, FBI agent Tom Latimer wants to insure that the death was not murder to cover up a geological problem that could endanger the upcoming visitors. He asks his friend Em Hansen, perhaps the only current unemployed geologist in the Salt Lake area, to evaluate and give an opinion on several Smeeth reports. However, he does not want this amateur to get involved in the actual investigation. Still Em cannot help but find the political FAULT LINES that shake the core of the city and state leaving her at the epicenter of the inquiry. The latest Em Hansen geological mystery is the best tale to date of a marvelous series that provides the audience with strong sleuthing and interesting geological information intertwined into the story line. The plot engages the audience as Em gets involved in another mystery. The support cast provides a local flavor that enhances the lead protagonist. FAULT LINE is an amateur sleuth tale worth reading while Sarah Andrews' previous novels are worth digging up at the used bookstores.
Harriet Klausner
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Harriet Klausner, Resident Scholar
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"Em Hansen a forensic geologist has moved to Salt Lake City just prior to the 2002 Winter Olympics. A 5.2 earthquake occurs which mostly only shakes up the Mormon community. Later that morning the State Geologist is murdered at her home after being cut off during an interview in front of the Olympic Stadium. Em is doing some training with an FBI agent, who is trying to recruit her into the FBI. Em and her cop, Mormon head of his mother's family, widower and engaged to be engaged to EM, are having some difficulties resolving their different approches to family and religion. A scientific reporter is researching information on most of Salt Lake City being built on an earthquake fault without the proper safeguards and also the murder of the state's head geologist. Soon she is murdered also. Em is also trying find who killed the state geologist and then the reporter. A subplot is that her friend who dates the FBI agent finds herself in an unwanted pregnancy. Philosophical questions and discussion on many levels including personal, business and environmental. Geology terms well explained so that they improve the plot devlopment which centers on the present, past and future earthquakes."
, Resident Scholar
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| Review Analysis of Fault Line |
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Our unique search engine provides a wealth of detail about books by breaking them down into many different literary elements, all of which are searchable (click here).
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
Composition of Book
descript. of violence and chases - 10%
Planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 30%
Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 40%
How society works & physical descript. (people, objects, places) - 20%
Tone of story
- Dry-cynical
How difficult to spot villain?
- Very difficult--no foreshadowing/clues
- Difficult, but some clues given
Time/era of story:
- 1980's-1999
- present (2000-2010)
Disaster, natural or nuclear
Yes
Kind of disaster:
- earthquake
What % of story relates directly
to the mystery, not the subplot?
- 50%
- 60%
Misc. Murder Plotlets
- "All in the family" murder
Kind of investigator
- amateur citizen investigator
- skilled citizen investigator
Kid or adult book?
- Adult or Young Adult Book
Any non-mystery subplot?
- describing scientific process
Crime Thriller
Yes
Murder Mystery (killer unknown)
Yes
Main Character
Gender
- Female
Profession/status:
- scientist
Age:
- 20's-30's
Eccentric/Mental:
Yes
Eccentric:
- eccentric
- obsessed
Is this an ordinary person caught up in events?
Yes
How much violence does he/she use?
- a little
Ethnicity/Race
- White/American
How sensitive is this character?
- sensitive to others' feelings
- middling sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor
- Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence
- Smarter than most other characters
Physique
- average physique
Main Adversary
Identity:
- Male
- Female
Age:
- 20's-30's
- 40's-50's
Profession/status:
- homemaker
- business executive
Eccentric:
Yes
- deluded
- emotionally unstable
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in:
- a moderate amount
Motive of antagonist
- power
How sensitive is this character?
- hard edged
- mean, arrogant
Sense of humor
- Cynical sense of humor
- Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence
- Smarter than most other characters
Physique
- very athletic
- average physique
Setting
United States
Yes
The US:
- West
Style
Person
- mostly 1st
- mostly 3rd
Accounts of torture and death?
- generic/vague references to death/punishment
- moderately detailed references to deaths
How many deaths?
- 1
- 2
A lot of techno jargon?
Yes
Kind of jargon?
- mechanical engineering
Amount of dialog
- roughly even amounts of descript and dialog
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Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s). | |
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